Image Logs Application for Locating Faults in Oil

Penerbit
Akademia Baru Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Mechanics

ISSN (online): 2289-7895 | Vol. 3, No.1. Pages 1-8, 2014
Image Logs Application for Locating Faults in Oil

and Gas Reservoirs
M. Alizadeh*,a, Z. Movahedb, R. Juninc, W. R. Wan Sulaimand and M. Z. Jaafare
Faculty of Petroleum & Renewable Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia,

81310 UTM Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
a*
mostafa.alizadeh88@yahoo.com, bzmovahed@gmail.com, cradzuan@petroleum.utm.my,
d
r-wan@petroleum.utm.my, emzaidij@petroleum.utm.my
Abstract–Image log technology is an advanced technology that helps us in finding the location, dip,
azimuth, strike and type of faults in any science related to geology. Finding out this information from
image logs is not so easy, and many geologists are looking for an industrial source with real examples
of log interpretation to have a better understanding of this technology. Therefore, in this study, a unique
case study and a number of valuable log interpretation examples were used, and the process was
explained completely. This job was done in Gachsaran field, one of the most important Iranian fields,
and the main reservoir is Asmari reservoir, one of the most important Iranian oil and gas reservoirs. A
unique educational paper is produced from this study, which can be useful for other geologists who are
interested in fault interpretation and image log technology. Copyright © 2014 Penerbit Akademia
Baru - All rights reserved.
Keywords: Faults, Image logs, Oil and gas reservoirs
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Gachsaran oil field is located in the southwest of Iran (Figure 1), with an anticline structure.
The thick sequence consists of anhydrite/salt, 80 km long, 300-1500 m thickness, 8-18 km
wide, which provides an excellent seal and overlying Asmari reservoir, Pabdeh reservoir, Gurpi
reservoir and other reservoirs [1] (Figure 2).
Asmari, Pabdeh, Gurpi and other reservoirs that are covered by Gachsaran oil field are naturally
fractured reservoirs and in some wells, there is evidence of existing faults. Finding out the
location and details of faults is an important task that will assist in having a better understanding
of the field, and this task can be done correctly by using image logs. Interpreting the faults from
image logs is very difficult. The task needs a good knowledge of both geology and image log
technology. Therefore, in this paper, we explained an approach that can be used to find out the
fault details from image logs by using appropriate log interpretation examples.
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Figure 1: Location of Gachsaran oil field [2]
Seismic data and geological logs have been used to locate faults in the oil and gas industry, but
the advanced technology that can provide us better understanding of the faults attributes is
image log technology. Image log tools provide images from the borehole, in which interpreting
these images will provide more detailed information of the faults [4, 5].
The best approach is to use image logs and also other geological logs in order to obtain the
most reliable data. Hence, in this work, the Formation Micro Imager (FMI) tool was used in
parallel with the Corrected Gamma Ray (CGR) tool.
2.0 METHODS
Borehole imaging delivers micro resistivity and acoustic images of the formation in both water-
based and nonconductive mud. Borehole imaging is the preferred approach for determining net
pay in the laminated sediments of fluvial and turbidite depositional environments.
The FMI has a four-arm eight-pad array (i.e., four pads and four flaps as shown in Figure 3).
Each pad and flap contain 24 buttons, which makes a total of 192 buttons for all four pads and
four flaps. The tool includes a general purpose inclinometer cartridge, which provides
accelerometer and magnetometer data. The triaxial accelerometer gives speed determination
and allows re-computation of the exact position of the tool. The magnetometers determine tool
orientation. During logging, each microelectrode emits a passive, focused current into the
formation. The current intensity measurements, which reflect micro resistivity variations, are
converted to variable-intensity gray or color images. The observation and analysis of the
images provide information related to changes in rock composition, texture, structure or fluid
content.
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Figure 2: The location of Gachsaran oil field overlying the Asmari, Pabdeh, Gurpi and other
reservoirs, and stratigraphic nomenclature of rock units and age relationships in the Zagros
basin [3]
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(a) (b)
Figure 3: (a) Picture of an FMI tool and (b) explanation of the principle of measurement.
EMEX current flows into the formation from the FBCC (upper electrodes) housing to the pad
section (which is the FMI sonde section carrying 192 imaging microelectrodes), known as
lower electrode.
The factors taken into account for locating faults on the FMI images are as follows [6, 7]:
• Grade 1: Sudden change of the dip trend.
• Grade 2: Abrupt change of borehole drift.
• Grade 3: High angle resistive or conductive events developed across the

wellbore.
• Grade 4: Enlarged hole at the fault/ borehole intersection.
• Grade 5: Shift in the trend of in-situ stress.
• Grade 6: Abrupt termination of layers on the fault plane.
• Grade 7: Changing thickness of the fault bounded layer across the wellbore.
• Grade 8: Occurrence of fractures.
• Grade 9: Sudden change at the other geological log responses.
• Grade 10: Sudden change of the formation’s pressure (sealed fault).
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3.0 RESULTS & DISCUSSION
3.1 Fault Evidence
Based on the fault identification criteria, three faults were identified in the well. The
observations based on each fault that was identified are given in Table 1:
Table 1: Faults explanation attributes
Each fault is discussed in more detail below:
(a) Fault 1 (possible)
Figure 4: Close-up view of the possible fault
The reason that this fault is interpreted as possible fault is because of a high angle contact
between porous and dense layers around 2188.7 m, and the dip of the faulted contact is very
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different from the SW dipping beds/ layers of average inclination of 30-40 degrees. It dips at
63 degrees to the South with E-W strike, and there is an abrupt change in resistivity log
response across the faulted contact.
(b) Faults 2 & 3 (Minor)
The reason that these faults are interpreted as minor faults is that the dips of the faults are very
different from the SW dipping beds / layers of average inclination of 26-33 degrees, and they
dipped at 62 degrees to the North East and NW-SE strike. The other reason is that the layers
adjacent to the fault plane seem to be displaced by a few centimeters (because after the
displacement, they can be found within the same borehole).
Figure 5: Close-up view of the two minor faults
3.2 Fault Attributes
Table 2: Faults attributes
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Table 2 gives the detailed information of the faults attributes. The final step of the fault
interpretation is drawing the fault attributes using Schmidt projection (Figure 6). Three faults
were found in this well. Figure 7 shows the dip inclination degree, dip azimuth, strike azimuth
and dip inclination histogram of the previously discussed faults.
Figure 6: Statistical plots for the attributes of the possible fault and minor faults in Asmari
and Pabdeh formations
4.0 CONCLUSIONS
In this paper, by using both image logs and geological logs, detailed information about one
possible fault and two minor faults was given. The benefit of this new method compared with
previous methods is that in conventional fault interpretation methods, only geological logs are
used. However, in this work, both image logs and geological logs are used, which gives more
detailed information about the faults. This work is an example that shows the benefit of using
both image logs and geological logs in order to find more detailed information about faults in
oil and gas reservoirs.
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REFERENCES
[1] F. Khoshbakht, H. Memarian, M. Mohammadnia, Comparison of Asmari, Pabdeh and

Gurpi formation's fractures, derived from image log. J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 67 (2009) 65-
74.
[2] Z. Movahed, R. Junin, Z. Safarkhanlou, M. Akbar, Formation evaluation in Dezful

embayment of Iran using oil-based-mud imaging techniques. J. Petrol. Sci. Eng. 121
(2014) 23-37.
[3] Schlumberger company archive, 2014.
[4] E. Onajite, Seismic Data Analysis Techniques in Hydrocarbon Exploration, Elsevier,

2014.
[5] H. Fossen, Structural Geology, Cambridge University Press, 2010.
[6] Z. Movahed, Enhanced Reservoir Description in Carbonate and Clastic Reservoirs, Paper
presented at the SPE Asia Pacific oil & Gas Conference and Exhibition. Jakarta,
Indonesia, 30 October-1 November. (2007).
[7] R. A. Nelson, Geologic Analysis of Naturally Fractured Reservoirs, 2nd Ed., Houston;
Texas, Gulf publishing company, 2001.

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Akademia Baru Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Mechanics